I'm new here but many years ago I put myself through college as a hot asphalt roofer up in the thumb area of Michigan. I worked on a crew of mostly Indians from the Kettlepoint reservation in Ontario, Canada - great bunch of guys.

Anyway, my question relates to shingle availability. We are about to re-roof our ten year old log home that has a low-end 3 tab on. I want to use GAF Grand Sequoia but cannot get them in Sage Green. Nobody stocks them, the distributors can't seem to get me a reliable answer on when they would be delivered, and I've seen prices that range - no kidding - over 50% difference per square.

I wrote to GAF about availability...no answer. All I can say is this is not the way you sell shingles or win customers. I am very discouraged and, worse, can't find another shingle that makes SWMBO happy.

Any ideas? Any reason for the months of waiting GAF seems to expect you to accept? I'm not a whiner, just a homeowner looking for a good product and a roof that will outlast me.

Thanks,

Craig

Its a special order shingle. Not many of them will sell in a year so they do not stock them. They will go bad if sitting for a long period of time.
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Taking one day at a time.
Roofing Sales Professional

Thanks - I appreciate the response and you no doubt know more about this than I do but how can a shingle that is supposed to last 50 years on my roof deteriorate sitting in a warehouse for a while?

What happened is that a distributor told my wife they had 55 square on hand at $X price. We chose them and when I called to arrange delivery the very next morning, the dealer says "oh, those are all sold...if you really want them, it'll be 30% more money and four weeks delivery".

That's the part that frosts the customer - the "bait & switch" then finding out you can't really buy them anyway because NOBODY has them - not even the plant. I felt sandbagged.

If they sit on a pallet in the sun for lets say 6 months the y get imprints from the other bundles and pallets. It is normal for a homeowner to get an increase on special orders. Even some companies will get them. Have you tried looking at the Certainteed line?
_________________
Taking one day at a time.
Roofing Sales Professional

Some color availability is regional as you have learned. See if you can get a GAF and a Certainteed color chart, they should list the availability. GAF is the worst for regional colors. Sorry your salesman was a jerk.
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"Roofing is the birth place of the world's greatest underachivers! Heh."

GAF Grand Sequoia Sage Green is
5 bundles per square. Bradco Supply should be able to help you. www.bradcosupply.com

Your cost should be around 115-130 per square. Anything more than 130, and you are getting ripped off.

Dont forget that you need the special dual starter for these shingles, and the Timbertex Hip/Ridge to match the color.

With the demand for oil causing shortages, there will be waits for new shingles from all manufacturers.

Firestone is out of the chemicals needed to make bonding adhesive...WTF?

I just got 40 square of Grand Sequoia in 5 days. No problem waiting. B&L wholesale (upstate NY supplier with 4 locations)